Stringed instruments, such as pianos, guitars, sitars, banjoes, and so forth must have their strings tightened to the proper tension to be in tune. When tuning pianos a ratcheted wrench, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 757,878, is often used. However, such ratcheted wrenches merely reposition the turning handle for the convenience of the user. Proper tension is still determined by ear.
Other stringed instruments, such as guitars, have handles as integral parts of their tuning peg assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,983 discloses a motor powered string tensioner. This device is designed to ease the chore of manually tightening the tension of this string. However, it still depends upon the user's aural perception to determine when to stop tightening the string. Thus, the user must pluck the string while using the motor driven device and determine, by ear, when the proper tension is reached.
Guitars and similar instruments usually have a tuning peg (tightening post) around which the string is wound to the proper tension. The tuning peg is commonly driven through a worm gear arrangement by a handle on a drive-shaft. The strings of the guitar, which are each wrapped about a tuning peg, are tightened by turning a handle on the drive-shaft. The strings are usually not a single strand of wire but have a core strand with a fine wrapping wound about the core. When these wrapped strings are wound about a peg, after a period of time the wrapping tends to flatten out where it presses against the peg. The string thereby moves somewhat closer to the post resulting in a loosening of the string. Thus the instrument becomes out of tune.
What has not been heretofore available is a device by which the strings on a guitar or other such instrument can be tightened to a pre-determined tension without being wrapped about a peg and without the need for the tuning by ear presently required. Such a device would allow a musician to quickly and simply retune the instrument during a performance by retightening the strings to a predetermined tension and would help insure that the instrument stays in tune.